Time diffraction-free transverse orbital angular momentum beams

The discovery of optical transverse orbital angular momentum (OAM) has broadened our understanding of light and is expected to promote optics and other physics. However, some fundamental questions concerning the nature of such OAM remain, particularly whether they can survive from observed mode degradation and hold OAM values higher than 1. Here, we show that the strong degradation actually origins from inappropriate time-delayed kx–ω modulation, instead, for transverse OAM having inherent space-time coupling, immediate modulation is necessary. Thus, using immediate x–ω modulation, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally degradation-free spatiotemporal Bessel (STB) vortices with transverse OAM even beyond 102. Remarkably, we observe a time-symmetrical evolution, verifying pure time diffraction on transverse OAM beams. More importantly, we quantify such nontrivial evolution as an intrinsic dispersion factor, opening the door towards time diffraction-free STB vortices via dispersion engineering. Our results may find analogues in other physical systems, such as surface plasmon-polaritons, superfluids, and Bose-Einstein condensates.